Means for the treatment of printing plates



Oct. 19 1926. 1,604,015

E. A. BORDEN MEANISl FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRINTING PLATES Filed NOV. 9, 1923 i Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES EDWIN A. IBORDIIEIN, OFAOAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

S FOR THE TREATM'EN T 0F PRINTING PLATES.

Application filed November 9, 1923. Serial No. 673,775.

My invention relates particularly to means for building up or leveling the printing faces of printing plates by the ap lication of pressure, preferably while'the p ates are heated to a plastic condition, to the plates, the means of my invention effecting the conformation of the printing `faces of the printing plates'without exerting excessive, pressure on localized portions of the plates wherebyT the printing faces thereof are not inj ured.

Generally speaking my invention consists of a member of non-displaceable material provided with an exposed facewise pattern providing displacement space in combination with a sheet of displaceable material, these members being adapted when subjected to pressure on the bach of a printing plate with the sheet of displaceable material in displacing relation with the pattern of the nondis placeable member for building up or leveling the printing` face of the printing plate.

By reason of this arrangement it is not necessary to provide a displacement space providing pattern in the sheet of displaceable material thus facilitating the manufacture thereof.

In the preferred practise of the invention f the member of non-displaceable material provided with the displacement space providing` pattern is capable of re-use whereb57 it may be used in the treatment of a great number of printing plates, and whereby only the sheet of displaceable material need be replaced or reformed either after the treat ment of each printing` plate or after treating a number of plates depending on the chan acter of the sheet of displaceable material.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference. to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure l is an exaggerated partial sectional view of a printing plate and the means of my invention under pressure between t-he pressure members of a suitable press.`

Figure 2 is a partial face view of the patterned member of my invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the means of my invention showing the various members spaced apart for purposes of clarity.

Lilie characters of reference indicate like parts 1n the several views.

In the said drawings, l and 2 designate respectively the upper and lower pressure members of a suitable press, and 3 designates a printing plate of the type commonly known as an electrotype plate. As shown the patterned member consists of a flexible sheet l of non-displaceable material, such as copper or other metal or material which will flex or yield without bodily distortion, and having a jsolid central portion on one or both faces of which are formed uniformly spaced apart uniform dislelilre projections 5` form ing exposed displacement space providing facewise patterns at both faces of the sheet 4. -lhesheets of displaceable material are l designated at 6.

' ln the treatment of a printing plate the sheet l is interposed between two sheets 6 and the sheets 4t and 6, so arranged, are subjected to pressure on the back of the printing plate between the pressure members l and 2 of the press, the pressure being preferably exerted with the plate heated to render the same plastic such as by heating either the upper pressure member l or both of the pressure members l and 2. A temperature of approximately 199C (lis sul'licient.`

y The sheets G are of suitable thickness such as one-eighth of an inch and may be of any suitable displaceable material which is capable of bodily distortion under inequalities of pressure, and as examples vulcanized rubber composition or a mixture of 6d per cent aspbaltum, per cent fixed oil such as linseed, Castor, cottonseed, maize, or China wood oil, and l percent dryer of the usual type is Vproposed for'the treatment of the printing plates heated to a plastic condition.

When the pressure is exerted by the press upon the printing plate 3 and the sheets et and 6 the sheets 6 displace more or less into 'the displacement space providing pat terns of the sheet l to buildup or level the printing face of the plate by conforming the same with the opposing pressure member l without exerting excessive pressure upon any portion of the plate whereby the printing face of the plate is not injured. The varying displacement of the sheets G is clearly shown in Fig. l in which 'r' designates a relatively thick portion of the plate 3 under which the sheets 6 have been displaced to a greater extent than under .the thinner portions of the plate. By reason ef the fact that the sheet t is flexible the effect of the sheet G against the lower pressure member 2 is exerted on the plate 8, and it will be observed that by this arrangement double the displacing effect of one sheet 6 is provided i the following which is of considerable advantage in many instances, though a single sheet G may be used effectively 1n many instances 1n which case one series of projections 5 does not func- Y tion with respect to sheet '6 but acts't'otransmit the pressure.

Inthe re-use of the sheet 4 the displacedV Yto type and cut forms, but use the termina general sense as meaning any type ofVv printing plate or printing form.

I l/Vhile I have herein shown and particu-' larly described Vthe preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limitedto the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily Vbe made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but havingthu'sdescribed my invention I claim as lnew'a'nd desire to secure jby Letters Patent 1. In a means for the treatment of printing plates the combination of. a member of non-displaceable material Yprovided. with an exposed facewise pattern providing displacement space, and a sheet ef displaceable material, said 'member and sneet being' adapted when they are subjected tor pressure on the back of a printing` plate with the sheet in displacing relation with said pattern for building up 'or leveling the printing face Vof j the printing plate.

2.. In a means for the treatment of printing plates the combination of a flexible sheet of non-displaceable material `capable vof reuse and patterned ina face thereof to provide displacement space, and a sheet of displaceable material, said sheets being' adapted when they are subjected to pressure on the back of a printing plate'with the secondv mentioned sheet against the aforementioned Vface of the first mentioned sheet'for building up or leveling the printing-face of the printing plate.

3. In a 'means for the treatment of printing plates the combination of a flexible sheet of non-displaceable material capable of reuse and :patterned in both faces thereof to provide displacement space, and two sheets of displaceable material., said sheets being adapted when they are subjected to pressure on the back of a printing plate with the first mentioned sheet interposed between the second mentioned sheets for building up or .leveling the printing. face of the printing plate.

i 4,. In a means forI thewtreatment of printing plates the combination of a member of non-dis'placeable material provided with an exposed facewise pattern providing displacement space, `and a'she'et of displaceable material, lsaid member and sheet being adapted when they are subjected to pressure on the back of a printing plate with the sheetin displacing relation with said pattern and with the printing ,plate heatedv to render the printing plate plastic to build up or level the printing face of the plate.

5. V-In a means for the treatment of printing plates 'the combination of a member Vof non-dsplaceable material capable of re-use and vpatterned in a .face thereof to provide displacement space, and asheet composed o-f-'a mixture of 6ft per cent asphaltum, 35 Vpercent fined oil and 1' per cent dryer, said member and sheet being adapted when they are subjected vto pressure on the back of a printing' plate withV said sheet againstthe aforementioned facey of said member and withthe printing plate heatecL to render the print-ing plate plastic to build up or level the printing face of the printing plate.

6. In a means for the treatmentof printing` plates the combinationof a iexible sheet of non-displaceable material patternedfiii both faces thereof to provide displacement space, and two sheets of displaceable material, said sheets being adapted when they are subjected to pressure on the back of avprinting plate with the first mentioned sheet in-VV terposed Ybetween said second mentioned sheets and with the printing plate heated to a temperature at which the printing plate is plastic to build up or level the printing Vface ofthe plate.

7. In a means for the treatment of printing plates the combinationof .a flexible metalV nnvviN'A. nonnen. 

